Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

finagle

/fɪˈneɪ.ɡəl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.76 in modern English

Syllables
fi-na-gle
IPA
/fɪˈneɪ.ɡəl/
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To obtain, arrange, or achieve by indirect, complicated and/or intensive efforts.

Transitive verb

verb

To obtain, arrange, or achieve by deceitful methods, by trickery.

Transitive verb

verb

To cheat or swindle; to use crafty, deceitful methods. (often with "out of" preceding the object)

Example Sentences

Etymology

Americanism from the 1920s, perhaps combining an alteration of fainaigue (“to renege”) with the suffix + -le (“frequentative”), possibly influenced by inveigle; compare haggle.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /fɪˈneɪ.ɡəl/
  • British English: /fɪˈneɪ.ɡəl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce finagle?
The recorded pronunciation is /fɪˈneɪ.ɡəl/.
What does finagle mean?
To obtain, arrange, or achieve by indirect, complicated and/or intensive efforts.
Where does finagle come from?
Americanism from the 1920s, perhaps combining an alteration of fainaigue (“to renege”) with the suffix + -le (“frequentative”), possibly influenced by inveigle; compare haggle.

How to pronounce finagle

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “finagle”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/fɪˈneɪ.ɡəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “finagle”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “finagle” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.